At statehood, the federal government promised all states that it would transfer title for all public lands within the states. The U.S. Supreme Court has called these promises “solemn compacts,” “bilateral (two-way) agreements,” and “solemn trusts” that must be performed “in a timely fashion.”
 
The western states are still waiting for the federal government to keep its promise.
 
http://youtu.be/xa-01eaQIs8

Legitimate grievances--absurd legal argument.  Stuff like this just makes it too easy for the other side.
 
Here's what the Utah Enabling Act actually says:  "That the people inhabiting said proposed State do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within the boundaries thereof. . ."  How's that for a solemn promise?
 
We need to make our case with intelligent, well-reasoned arguments.  This stuff is an embarrassment.

Okay , but .....
 
  How many times has the Federal Government come in and shut down an area that could produce BILLIONS in revenue , basically generating enough revenue to keep the schools in the State of Utah going?  In Wyoming their schools are all paid for from revenue from gas/oil/coal  and they have no State income tax .    
 
  Can't think of when something like this has happened ? Can you say Grand Staircase  Escalante ?  
 
   Sorry .... but I'll take my chances with the State of Utah .  
 

Your right Max , but ....
 
 
If I could have my way I would envision a world where the management of land was divided equally . County , State and Federal  would all have an equal say in the management of Public Land  . You have done some fantastic  things in your career but I think that you will agree that the Feds come up with some brainless ideas  that locals can't understand  and can't stomach either . Why not give more ( not all )control to the people that live in an affected area ? Why should Bill Clinton  build a monument  where locals don't want it ?  
 
I won't take anything away from all the good that you and others have done . There's even folks in the FS in Richfield now that I think the world of .  I'm just tired of losing more , year after year .

Since I'm up dealing with a sick kid in the middle of the night, I figure why not add my two cents, uninformed as it well may be.  
 
I've been idly speculating to myself lately about how Washington can get closer to balancing the ballooning Fed budget, and for some reason I keep thinking that, at least in Utah, the Dept of Natural Resources/DNR could do a respectable job managing BLM and Forest Service lands currently handled by feds.  What if the feds just eliminated the BLM & USFS while keeping control of the Nat'l Park System?  
 
I know, as ranger says, it's like wishing in one hand as the old saying goes, or in other words, it'll probably never happen -- but for example -- law enforcement on these fed lands is already woefully inadequate.  Sheriff deputies could do a better job of it in their respective counties, manpower-wise, than the one LE ranger does for the whole Nat'l Forest.  Ditto BLM lands, which deputies already cover much more thoroughly than the BLM ranger does, at least in southern UT.  Expand the role of the Division of Wildlife Resource/DWR officers, who currently work under the DNR's umbrella, and I think more and better law enforcement would be accomplished.  
 
Obviously the administration of said lands would require expansion of the DNR in budget and personnel, and there are many issues such as wildland firefighting where huge operational holes would need filling, but these are things I keep thinking about when I see headline after headline about:  the budget deficit, federal land control issues (especially road/trail closures), expensive state vs fed lawsuits, and so on.  Hopefully it's clear that I understand how unrealistic these ideas are for actual implementation as things currently stand, and so many fed employees losing their jobs would be tough to stomach, but this is just me doing what everyone else is, looking for a way (or several ways) out of our current mess.  My rant is over, time to sack out.
 
Jeff

I love finding things like this and posting them to see what conversation then results

Quote from quadforce on 02/21/12 at 06:48:15:

 
isn't that a case of the pot calling the kettle black?  

Quote from quadforce on 02/21/12 at 15:44:03:

 
WAS???????